"Born 1929 in Monroe, Louisiana, tenor saxophonist Fred Anderson came to Chicago in the late 1930s where he would leave an indelible mark on the city's jazz scene of the last 40 years. Drummer Robert Barry is one of Chicago's best known freelance drummers. Perhaps he is best known for his work with Sun Ra, having been a founding member of the Arkestra and playing with him off and on from 1950 to 1978. After having performed together only once before, this historic performance was recorded at Chicago's Empty Bottle in May of 1999. Anderson described the night as 'one of those rare moments when everything comes together.' This is truly evident on the album, as Barry notes the tunes' 'great momentum' as the set wears on. Anderson and Barry found a musical language of uncommon understanding that night."